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This project was completed for the MUSA/Smart Cities Practicum course (MUSA 801) instructed by Ken Steif, Michael Fichman, and Matt Harris. We are grateful to our instructors for their continued support and feedback as well as their flexibility and understanding in the face of a global pandemic. We also thank Dexter Locke and Lara Roman from the United States Forest Service for their generosity with their time and their eagerness to provide feedback on our project and share their expertise. Finally, we would like to acknowledge our classmates this semester for their feedback on our project and for inspiring us with their work.
This document is intended to help other researchers replicate a study of tree canopy loss linked to spatial risk factors. We present three primary outcomes: an analysis of the spatial attributes of tree canopy loss, a model to predict future tree canopy loss risk, and a policy tool that visualizes future tree canopy loss under various construction scenarios. We include hyperlinks thorough our document and in the appendix for reproducibility.
We hope that this document and our web application can help tree planting agencies, tree advocates, and the interested public understand the forces contributing to tree canopy loss in Philadelphia and envision different future scenarios for our tree canopy.